Columbus shaped our identity

By: DANIEL FORD - The Californian | Thursday, October 14, 2004 10:16 PM PDT ∞

The majority of Americans walk the well-worn runway of the fashionably proud who burn Columbus in effigy every Oct. 12 and have been conditioned to loathe this occasion as the red letter day of the European assault on innocent, peace-loving peoples.

As such, anyone expressing pride in the positive aspects of our European heritage is assaulted by the politically correct revisionists who equate Columbus with the likes of Genghis Khan. Rather than appreciate the common purpose that binds us all together as a nation, they been taught to loathe Columbus Day as the shameful dawn of European conquest by genocide.

In America more people live in freedom than any other country during any other time period in history. Our free, multiethnic society is truly an unparalleled accomplishment and has become the envy of the world.

While, understandably, Columbus Day may not be a day of celebration for Indians, the facts of history challenge the tired old argument that Columbus' legacy is one of disease, misery, and heartless barbarism.

Well before Columbus' arrival, the Aztecs of Tenochtitlan ---- a North American tribe ---- thought it necessary to offer their deities human hearts and, to this end, conquered entire enemy tribes then proceeded to cut them into pieces ---- sometimes letting them bleed atop the sacred pyramids for months ---- and feast on their flesh before removing their heart and offering it to their deity; thus, the killings ---- which sometimes exceeded 1,000 per week ---- were sanctified.

For this reason, the 16th century essayist Montaigne, argued these "noble savages" were in many ways naturally superior to Europeans. If these human sacrifices were not made, then the Sun would not win its battle over the Moon and rise each day.

These brutal practices were not unique to the Aztecs. Throughout the pre-Columbian era the Mayans, Toltecs and numerous lesser-known tribes practiced similar bloodletting rituals. This sacrificial killing and torture, in terms of its sheer brutality, parallels that of the Spanish Inquisition and the which hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Regardless of whether we interpret barbarism as the culture of the "noble savage" or equate it to the ruthless cruelty of the European conquerors, we must consider it in terms of our civilization and progress and think about how all these elements define who we are as Americans ---- how the man who raped, plundered, and foraged village after village came to represent that bold spirit of adventure and brazen arrogance which not only stimulated our capitalist system, but was later galvanized by a Calvinist-inspired vanity and work ethic that gave us our national identity.

These dynamics are the very pulse of our modern society. Even Wal-Mart ---- one of which just opened at the very site of the once blood-drenched pagan city of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) ---- is a virtual testament to the iron will and reckless audacity of expansion in the name of progress, as well as the enterprising spirit that is Christopher Columbus.

With all the criticism of Wal-Mart, and the questionable behavior of such large corporations, I'm not aware of any human sacrifices that are made in the name of Wal-Mart, nor have I heard evidence that the largest corporation in the world is responsible for belching filth into the air, or depleting the ozone layer.

True, Wal-Mart has conquered many of its competitors, but if Wal-Mart, and other mega-corporations are the "conquistadors" of the 21st Century, I suppose civilization and progress could be a lot worse.

Daniel Ford of Temecula teaches European history at Chaparral High School.

First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.